Influence of an Ice Storm on Aboveground Biomass of Subtropical Evergreen Broadleaf Forest in Lechang, Nanling Mountains of Southern China

This study focuses on the influence of the 2008 ice storm in China and subsequent forest rehabilitation dynamics up until 2011. All seven plots studied exhibited significant damage, with the total number of damaged trees varying between 63 and 92%. In addition, most trees suffered stem bending in 20...

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Main Authors: Fang Zhang, Guangyi Zhou, Motoshi Hiratsuka, Kazuo Tanaka, Yasushi Morikawa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:International Journal of Forestry Research
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/467848
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author Fang Zhang
Guangyi Zhou
Motoshi Hiratsuka
Kazuo Tanaka
Yasushi Morikawa
author_facet Fang Zhang
Guangyi Zhou
Motoshi Hiratsuka
Kazuo Tanaka
Yasushi Morikawa
author_sort Fang Zhang
collection DOAJ
description This study focuses on the influence of the 2008 ice storm in China and subsequent forest rehabilitation dynamics up until 2011. All seven plots studied exhibited significant damage, with the total number of damaged trees varying between 63 and 92%. In addition, most trees suffered stem bending in 2008 and the extent of damage varied with tree diameter at breast high (DBH). Relationships between loss of biomass as dead trees and stand characteristics were analyzed by multiple stepwise regression. The results showed that the decrease in biomass (Y) could be related to altitude (X1), slope (X2), and aboveground biomass (AGB) in 2008 (X5) according to the following formula: Y=−0.02456X1+0.2815X5−1.480X2+51.23. After 2 to 3 years, tree numbers had declined in all seven plots. The mean increase in AGB (4.9 t ha−1) for six of the plots was less than the biomass loss as dead trees (9.4 t ha−1) over the 3 year periods. This corresponds to a release of CO2 to the atmosphere for each plot. Therefore, the forests of Lechang in the Nanling Montains have probably acted as a carbon source to the atmosphere for a short period after the 2008 ice storm.
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series International Journal of Forestry Research
spelling doaj-art-b4b1d5f12b50470db507a656ef2ca8fb2025-08-20T03:39:22ZengWileyInternational Journal of Forestry Research1687-93681687-93762012-01-01201210.1155/2012/467848467848Influence of an Ice Storm on Aboveground Biomass of Subtropical Evergreen Broadleaf Forest in Lechang, Nanling Mountains of Southern ChinaFang Zhang0Guangyi Zhou1Motoshi Hiratsuka2Kazuo Tanaka3Yasushi Morikawa4Graduate School of Human Sciences, Tokorozawa Campus, Waseda University, Mikajima 2-579-15, Tokorozawa 359-1192, JapanDivision of Forest Ecosystem, Institute of Tropical Forest of China, No. 682, Longdong Guangshan No. 1 Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province 510-520, ChinaDepartment of Environmental and Energy, Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co. Ltd. 5-11-2, Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8501, JapanGraduate School of Human Sciences, Tokorozawa Campus, Waseda University, Mikajima 2-579-15, Tokorozawa 359-1192, JapanGraduate School of Human Sciences, Tokorozawa Campus, Waseda University, Mikajima 2-579-15, Tokorozawa 359-1192, JapanThis study focuses on the influence of the 2008 ice storm in China and subsequent forest rehabilitation dynamics up until 2011. All seven plots studied exhibited significant damage, with the total number of damaged trees varying between 63 and 92%. In addition, most trees suffered stem bending in 2008 and the extent of damage varied with tree diameter at breast high (DBH). Relationships between loss of biomass as dead trees and stand characteristics were analyzed by multiple stepwise regression. The results showed that the decrease in biomass (Y) could be related to altitude (X1), slope (X2), and aboveground biomass (AGB) in 2008 (X5) according to the following formula: Y=−0.02456X1+0.2815X5−1.480X2+51.23. After 2 to 3 years, tree numbers had declined in all seven plots. The mean increase in AGB (4.9 t ha−1) for six of the plots was less than the biomass loss as dead trees (9.4 t ha−1) over the 3 year periods. This corresponds to a release of CO2 to the atmosphere for each plot. Therefore, the forests of Lechang in the Nanling Montains have probably acted as a carbon source to the atmosphere for a short period after the 2008 ice storm.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/467848
spellingShingle Fang Zhang
Guangyi Zhou
Motoshi Hiratsuka
Kazuo Tanaka
Yasushi Morikawa
Influence of an Ice Storm on Aboveground Biomass of Subtropical Evergreen Broadleaf Forest in Lechang, Nanling Mountains of Southern China
International Journal of Forestry Research
title Influence of an Ice Storm on Aboveground Biomass of Subtropical Evergreen Broadleaf Forest in Lechang, Nanling Mountains of Southern China
title_full Influence of an Ice Storm on Aboveground Biomass of Subtropical Evergreen Broadleaf Forest in Lechang, Nanling Mountains of Southern China
title_fullStr Influence of an Ice Storm on Aboveground Biomass of Subtropical Evergreen Broadleaf Forest in Lechang, Nanling Mountains of Southern China
title_full_unstemmed Influence of an Ice Storm on Aboveground Biomass of Subtropical Evergreen Broadleaf Forest in Lechang, Nanling Mountains of Southern China
title_short Influence of an Ice Storm on Aboveground Biomass of Subtropical Evergreen Broadleaf Forest in Lechang, Nanling Mountains of Southern China
title_sort influence of an ice storm on aboveground biomass of subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest in lechang nanling mountains of southern china
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/467848
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